Nucleic acid displacer compositions and cells comprising same

ABSTRACT

Procedures and compositions for forming and stabilizing non stable branch migrated oligo- and polydeoxynucleotides utilizing a displacer which is either single stranded or partially double stranded and hybridized to a linker strand. The displacer may contain one or more modified nucleotides.

This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 08/480,000 filed on Jun. 7, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,681, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/499,938 filed Mar. 26, 1990, abandoned.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to the formation of stable branch migration structures and the various applications of these structures.

The displacement of one strand of a double-stranded nucleic acid by another single strand with an identical nucleotide sequence is a well documented aspect of DNA or RNA replication and genetic recombination in vivo. Branch points are found in nucleic acids that are undergoing this kind of strand displacement where two strands compete for base pairing interactions with complementary sequences of a third strand. The movement of branch points along the strands of the nucleic acid, branch migration, does not require the action of specific enzymes or proteins.

The phenomenon of branch migration in vitro in the renatured molecules of terminally repetitious, circularly permuted bacteriophage DNA was first reported by Lee, Davis, and Davidson [JMB 48: 1-22 (1970)]. Branched nucleic acid structures suitable for the study of strand displacements can be constructed in vitro using various hybridization conditions.

Branch migration has been exploited to form or resolve DNA-RNA hybrids. In solutions without formamide, a DNA strand will displace RNA from a DNA-RNA hybrid. This reaction is the basis of a homogeneous nucleic acid hybridization assay developed by Vary et al. of Allied Corporation [Nuc. Acids Res. (1987) 15, 6883-6897 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,701]. This assay involves RNase digestion of the displaced RNA strand, conversion of AMP to ATP and detection of the product of the conversion by chemiluminescence using luciferase. Vary's method is not applicable to DNA cloning.

In concentrated formamide solutions, a DNA strand may be displaced by RNA to form an R-loop [see Thomas, M., White, R. L, & Davis, R. W. (1976) Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA 73, 2294-2298]. Conceptually, R-loop formation is analogous to the displacement of one DNA strand from the end of a duplex. Regions of double-stranded DNA can take up complementary RNA sequences to form R-loops under conditions where RNA:DNA hybrids are more stable [Casey, J. and Davidson, N. (1977) NAR 4: 1539-1552]. The enrichment of specific DNA sequences has been accomplished using buoyant density sedimentation to select for R-loop structures containing these sequences. The technique of R-loop formation has not been patented. To date, applications of R-looping procedures involve partial denaturation of the target DNA and have not yielded products that can be directly cloned into standard cloning vectors.

D-loop formation that is analogous to R-loop formation can occur between a DNA strand and a superhelical DNA duplex [Radding, C. M., Beattie, K. L., Holloman, W. K., & Wiegand, R. C. (1977) J. Mol. Biol. 116, 825-839]. This reaction depends upon the superhelical free energy and will, thus, not take place with linear DNA molecules. No cloning technology based on this observation has been described. D loop formation in superhelical DNA has been used for specific cleavage [Corey, D. R., Pei, D. & Schultz, P. G. (1989) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 111, 8523-8525].

A method has been developed which uses RecA-coated strands to overcome the limitation of D-loop formation to superhelical DNA molecules [Rigas, B., Welcher, A. A., Ward, D. C., & Weissman, S. M. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 83, 9591-9595]. Labeling of the single-stranded probe with biotinylated nucleotides facilitates purification of the D-loop products of this reaction by affinity chromatography. DNA hybrids that contain biotinylated nucleotides have lower melting temperatures than unmodified DNA hybrids, i.e., biotin has a destabilizing effect on the helix [Langer, et al. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78: 6633-6637]. In this method D-loop formation requires implementation of a pretreatment step to facilitate D-loop formation. Moreover, this procedure does not result in products that are directly clonable into existing DNA cloning vectors.

A short DNA strand hybridized to a longer DNA strand will also be rapidly displaced by a homologous, but longer, overlapping strand in vitro [see Green, C. and Tibbetts, C. (1981) Nuc. Acids Res. 9, 1905-1918]. This observation forms the basis of diagnostic assays for DNA or RNA sequences that are based on branch migration and DNA strand displacement, described in Collins et al. [Mol. & Cell. Probes 2: 15-30 (1988)], Vary et al. [Clin. Chem. 32: 1696-1701 (1986)], U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,766,064 [Williams et al. (1988), Allied Corp.], 4,766,062 [Diamond et al (1988), Allied Corp.], and 4,795,701 [Vary et al (1988), Allied Corp.] and European Patents 0167238 A1 [Collins et al (1985), Allied Corp.] and 0164876 A1 (Collins et al. (1985) Allied Corp.].

In these assays, a partially double-stranded probe complex is prepared with a detectable label on one of the two strands. This probe complex is then incubated with a sample containing target nucleic acids (i.e., double-stranded nucleic acids that are at least partially homologous to the single-stranded portion of the probe complex) under appropriate hybridization conditions. The target nucleic acids hybridize to the single-stranded portion of the probe complex and undergo branch migration to release the labeled probe strand. The amount of labeled strand released is proportional to the amount of target DNA in a sample. Thus, this assay involves the use of a pre-formed partially double-stranded probe complex to promote branch migration and relies upon the transient nature of the branch migrated structure and the total release of the labeled probe strand.

In these assays, the efficiency of the strand displacement reaction could be enhanced by the addition of volume excluding reagents, such as polyethers, or by pretreatment of the target with Rec A proteins. Others have also noted that the Rec A protein promotes branch migration that proceeds unidirectionally in the 3′->5′ direction [Cox, M. M. & Lehman, I. R. (1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78: 6018-6022]. The diagnostic assays developed by the Allied Corp. use preformed duplexes to promote displacement and do not relate to the development of genetic engineering techniques or to the stabilization of the branch migration structure.

Thus, the phenomenon of branch migration initiated by the formation of a stable hybrid has been described in the literature. Although the formation of branched or looped structures has been used for identification, purification, and enrichment of DNA sequences, this technique has not been applied to the development of a directly clonable product. Moreover, stabilization of branch migration structures would enhance the efficiency of procedures that involve collection or identification of these entities. Simple methods for preparing stable branch migration structures have not been reported by others.

Experiments described more than 20 years ago showed that the substitution of bromine at position C5 of pyrimidines leads to increased duplex stability [Michelson et al.(1967) Prog. Nuc. Acid Res. & Mol. Bio. 6: 84-141]. Radding et al. [J. Biol. Chem. 116: 2869-2876 (1962)] showed that dG-BrdC is a more thermally stable base pair than dG-dC. In another study, poly dl:poly BrdC had a melting temperature 26° C. higher than poly dI:poly dC [Inman & Baldwin (1964) J. Mol. Bio. 8: 452-469], and it was further shown that poly BrdC displaced poly dC from a poly dI:poly dC duplex to form a new duplex with poly dI [Inman J. Mol. Bio. 9: 624-637 (1964)]. These observations have not been applied to the stabilization of branch migration structures by displacer strands containing modified nucleotide bases.

Tatsumi and Strauss [Nuc. Acids Res. 5: 331-347 (1978)] labeled DNA with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd) in vivo in human lymphoid cells and observed a high degree of branch migration after isolation and shearing of the DNA. These workers suggested that this high level of branch migration reflected the increased stability of helices containing BrdUrd and the trapping of the branch migration configuration. Their results further suggest that once formed, halogen-substituted branch migration structures are relatively stable. Tatsumi and Strauss did not investigate the phenomenon of branch migration in vitro, did not use synthetic oligo- or polynucleotides labeled with halogenated nucleotides, i.e., pre-modified displacer strands, in their experiments, and could not use the branch migration structures resulting from their experiments for purposes of cloning or mutagenesis.

Currently, specific DNA fragments derived from genomic DNA are usually identified using Southern blot analysis of the restriction enzyme digestion products of that genomic DNA. Southern blot analysis of DNA is a multi-step procedure that generally involves the use of radioisotopes and autoradiography for fragment identification following electrophoresis, transfer of the electrophoresced products to a nitrocellulose or nylon membrane, and hybridization of the transferred products to sequence-specific DNA probes. Procedures that provide for simultaneous labeling and identification of specific DNA fragments would be significantly simpler, faster, and cheaper than Southern blot analyses and would have a significant impact on the field of genetic engineering.

Labeling of DNA sequences has come to imply the incorporation of modified nucleotides at internal or terminal positions. Often this is accomplished enzymatically using nucleotides labeled with small compounds such as biotin, sulfhydryl groups, mercury, allylamine, and digoxigenin. Enrichment or purification of these labeled nucleic acids can be accomplished by affinity chromatography. For example, biotinylated DNA, including D loops, can be selectively bound and eluted from solid matrices bearing avidin or streptavidin groups, as has been reported by Ward and his co-workers [Langer, op. cit.]. Similarly, DNA labeled with sulfhydryls can be purified by affinity chromatography on mercurated agarose and mercurated DNA can be purified based on its affinity for sulfhydryl groups. The enrichment of mRNA from total RNA populations can be accomplished based on the affinity of the polyA tails on the messengers for oligo-dT matrices. Following their purification, these enriched or purified nucleic acid sequences are often further subjected to a series of procedures that render them clonable. Labeling procedures that permit sequence enrichment or purification by affinity chromatography and then the direct cloning of these enriched or purified fractions would have significant advantages over existing techniques.

The identification or enrichment of a specific subset of nucleotide sequences or of DNA fragments in isolated genomic DNA or total populations of RNA for the express purpose of cloning those sequences or fragments has been accomplished by a variety of methods that include, but are not limited to those involving the selection of DNA fragments capable of undergoing branch migration, R-loop, or D-loop formation. Selective cloning of fragments in a population has been achieved based on restriction endonuclease cleavage sites, especially those that recognize a unique site [Brown, N. L. & Smith, M. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 3213-3216], and size [Thomas, M., Cameron, J. R. & Davis, R. W. (1974) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 4579-4583]. Although these strategies have been used widely and successfully to clone a wide variety of genes, they are not universal and have limited specificity.

Another application of genetic engineering techniques relates to the modification of genetic material so as to add or delete nucleotide bases, such as for therapeutic purposes. Efforts to either replace, inactivate, or modify genetic material are currently in progress. In higher eukaryotic organisms, the approaches taken have, thus far, required that the agents used to bring about these changes be incorporated into various plasmid vectors that contain all or part of various viral genomes. Site-directed gene replacement in lower eukaryotes, such as yeasts, has been accomplished. A serious deterrent to the therapeutic manipulation of human genetic material in vivo relates to the lack of a suitable, benign vector system. The ability to perform targeted delivery and incorporation of genetic material into chromosomal DNA without using a viral vector would represent a major advance in the field of gene therapy.

Green and Tibbetts [op. cit.] expressed an interest in using branched DNA structures for in vitro site-directed mutagenesis and, in fact, were able to use stable D-loop structures in superhelical DNA for target deletion mutagenesis [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77: 2455-2459 (1980)]. They were unable to achieve this goal with linear target DNA molecules using the branch migrated structures they obtained from in vivo labeling of cells with BrdUrd (see Green and Tibbetts, 1981, op. cit.) due to the short half-lives of their branched structures.

Site-specific genetic manipulation has been described [Capecchi, M. R. (1989) Science 244, 1288-1292] where a small proportion of the DNA which becomes integrated into the host genome is directed, by homologous recombination, to the desired target DNA. Unfortunately, the additional integration events occur at random and may inactivate or activate genes leading to deleterious consequences. Sequences of DNA capable of initiating triple-helix formation have been reported. [Francois, J. C., Saison-Behmoaras, T., Thoung, N. T. & Helene, V. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 9617-9619; Povsic, T. J. & Dervan, P. B. (1989) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 111, 3059-3061]. The utilization of triple helix formation as an adjunct to site-specific genetic manipulation is unknown in the art.

SUMMARY

In its most general terms our invention relates to techniques which increase the probability of certain types of reactions proceeding in a desired manner. Our techniques promote specificity of reaction and provide

simple methods for preparing stable branch migration structures.

procedures for simultaneous labeling and identification of specific DNA fragments that are significantly simpler, faster, and cheaper than Southern blot analyses.

labeling procedures that permit sequence enrichment or purification by affinity chromatography and selective cloning.

a method of performing targeted delivery and incorporation of genetic material into chromosomal DNA without using a viral vector.

Branch migration is the process by which a single strand of nucleic acid is inserted and replaces at least a portion of one strand of a nucleic acid duplex. Branch migration is a useful technique for the sequence-dependent attachment (capture) of an oligodeoxynucleotide duplex containing a single-stranded tail into the end of a deoxynucleotide molecule, or of the sequence dependent incorporation of an oligodeoxynucleotide into a deoxynucleotide molecule at a location other than at its end. Existing methods require the formation of a stable hybrid prior to the initiation of branch migration; our process allows initiation and formation of a branch migrated complex without prior stabilization. We have achieved this result by stabilizing the resulting branch migrated complex concurrently with formation or thereafter, or both.

Our specific attachment procedure may be used (A) to label a particular fragment for detection without blotting and subsequent hybridization, (B) to mark a particular fragment for affinity chromatography, (C) to facilitate cloning by introducing a new 5′ or 3′ overhang compatible with a restriction endonuclease site in a cloning vector, or (D) for other purposes which will become apparent from the present disclosure.

The various methods and materials of our invention require a displacer entity which is at least partially complementary to and is capable of binding to a target. Both the displacer and target are oligo- or polynucleotide sequences, either synthetic or naturally occurring. Our novel displacer may be used as a single stranded entity in certain embodiments of our invention; in other embodiments it is utilized as a partially double stranded entity hybridized to a linker strand.

One embodiment of our invention provides a novel displacer-linker duplex and an improved method of attaching a deoxynucleotide displacer sequence to a strand of a target deoxynucleotide duplex. The oligo- or polydeoxynucleotide displacer-linker duplexes of our invention consist of two strands, a displacer strand and a linker strand. The displacer strand contains a sequence of nucleotides at least partially complementary to the linker strand and a sequence at least partially complementary to one strand of a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex.

The sequence-dependent attachment (capture) of an oligodeoxynucleotide duplex containing a single-stranded tail can be influenced by branch migration into the end of a DNA molecule. Our novel oligo- or polydeoxynucleotide displacer-linker duplex is capable of initiating branch migration at the end of a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex without the prior formation of a stable hybrid with such recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex. More particularly, these novel duplexes can hybridize to and initiate branch migration at a restriction endonuclease cleavage site, in particular adjacent to a 3′ or 5′ single stranded extension on a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex.

Substitution of one or more of the nucleotides in the portion of the displacer strand which is complementary to the recipient increases DNA-DNA hybrid stability. Oligonucleotides containing the modified nucleotide displace non-modified nucleotide containing strands from the ends of duplexes. In the case of 3′ or 5′ overhangs the rate of displacement is of the same order of magnitude as the nucleation reaction of DNA reassociation.

We also provide a displacer which is not hybridized to a linker strand and which is capable of initiating triple helix formation. This class of displacers comprises

1. a first sequence which is capable of initiating triple helix formation, and which comprises

a) at least six consecutive pyrimidine bases or

b) at least seven bases where at least six of the bases are pyrimidine bases and the seventh base is guanine, and

2. a second sequence proximate to such first sequence which is

a) complementary to and runs antiparallel to the second strand of the recipient duplex and

b) which is capable of initiating branch migration proximate to the triple helix.

We further disclose displacers which are nuclease resistant and the method of modifying a recipient duplex to confer nuclease resistance to the duplex. These displacers contain at least one moiety attached to a terminus of the oligo- or polynucleotide, which moiety confers endonuclease resistance to the terminus to which it is attached.

We have found it desirable to modify at least one of the nucleotides in the displacer strand which is at least partially complementary to one strand of the recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex. The nucleotide is modified in a manner that increases the stability of the hybrid displacer-recipient duplex.

In addition to stability increasing modifications, we have found it useful to incorporate modified nucleotides in the displacer or linker which permit detection of the displacer-recipient hybrid or its isolation by affinity chromatography.

Another aspect of our invention is the hybrid structure formed when the displacer or displacer-linker duplex is attached to the target. Where the hybrid is the result of the attachment of the target to our novel displacer-linker duplex, the linker strand is preferably covalently linked to one of the strands of the recipient duplex.

In a preferred version of our invention, the hybrid structure containing the attached displacer sequence of single stranded deoxynucleotide is stabilized, most desirably by the presence of at least one modified nucleotide in the displacer strand.

We also disclose a labelled hybrid structure. This labelled hybrid structure incorporating our displacer-linker is useful in many biochemical procedures, such as, for example, to facilitate capture of the displacer-recipient hybrid by affinity chromatography, to label one end of an cloned deoxynucleotide insert in a vector, to facilitate restriction endonuclease mapping of an insert, to facilitate selectively cloning a recipient polynucleotide duplex and to facilitate isolation of clones of contiguous polydeoxyribonucleotides. The hybrid incorporating the displacer is useful in affinity chromatography and to facilitate 1] detection of specific oligo- or polynucleotides and 2] site specific genetic manipulation

Our methods involve the stabilization of a non stable complex between one strand of a recipient polydeoxynucleotide sequence and a displacer sequence of single stranded DNA where the displacer sequence is at least partially complementary to such strand of a recipient polydeoxynucleotide sequence. The complex may be stabilized by

a) the presence of at least one modified nucleotide in the displacer strand,

b) forming a DNA triplex between the displacer sequence and the recipient duplex,

c) providing a displacer strand comprising a nucleotide sequence and a sequence specific DNA binding moiety that does not significantly melt the recipient DNA duplex at the site to which it attaches,

d) attaching the displacer to a linker prior to or concurrent with attachment to the target duplex and thereafter covalently attaching the linker to the second strand of the target duplex, or

e) a combination of procedures a) and d) or c) and d).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 (A) depicts a restriction map of pALA-D. R=RsaI. P=PstI. Fragments A-D are labeled above the line, with the nucleotide lengths indicated beneath. There is a single Smal site in fragment D. (B) Branch migration of displacer (open rectangle), bound to linker (filled rectangle), into a recipient duplex with a four base 3′-overhang (PstI end of fragment

FIG. 1 (B) shows the conversion between the duplex bound to the 3′ overhang only (left) and following complete branch migration (right).

FIG. 1 (C) depicts the maximum displacement with specific pALA-D fragments. m=the maximum number of base pairs which can be formed between the displacer and the complementary recipient strand.

FIG. 2 depicts the capture reaction of P-D-BrdC plus P-L-dC. UV fluorogram of 1% agarose gel. Lane 1: RsaI/PstI digested pALA-D (200 mg). A, B, C, and D refer to fragments shown in FIG. 1. Lanes 2-9: products following ligation in the presence of P-D-BrdC (6 μg/ml), P-L-dC (2 μg/ml), and 5 U/ml ligase for 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 min, respectively.

FIG. 3 depicts the autoradiogram of FIG. 2. Lanes 1-8 correspond to the radiolabeled lanes 2-9 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4(A) depicts an autoradiogram similar to FIG. 3, but with higher ligase concentration and P-D-dC replacing P-D-BrdC.

FIG. 4(B) depicts the an early time point in an autoradiogram identical to FIG. 3 except using P-D-BrdC-E(10) replacing P-D-BrdC.

FIG. 4(C) depicts an autoradiogram identical to FIG. 3 except using P-D-BrdC-E(24) replacing P-D-BrdC.

FIG. 5 depicts the autoradiogram of a sequencing gel showing the region of incorporated displacer (bold) and linker (underlined) sequences.

FIG. 6 depicts BCR using pALAD-G4, a derivative of pMS19 containing a genomic fragment of human ALAD, and displacer-linker duplex S-D-BrdC and S-L-dC was followed by partial digestion with Sau3A1. Lanes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8: partial digestion products formed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 minutes, respectively. Bands a-k are partial digest bands of the sizes expected: 300, 406, 1538, 1598, 2706, 2731, 2748, 3198, and multiple large bands produced by sites within the vector, respectively.

FIG. 7 depicts triplex enhanced branch-migration mediated linker capture. Lanes 1-6: pMS19, cut with NciI and SalI, incubated with BT-D-MedC-1, BT-L-dC-1 and T4 DNA ligase as described in the text, for 0, 1, 3, 10, 30 and 120 min. Lane 7: Molecular weight markers of lambda DNA cut with AvaII Lanes 8-13: pMS19, cut with NciI and SalI, incubated with BO-D-MedC-1, BT-L-dC-1 and T4 DNA ligase as described in the text, for 0, 1, 3, 10, 30 and 120 min.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

Our process allows initiation and formation of a branch migrated complex without prior stabilization. We have achieved this result by stabilizing the resulting branch migrated complex concurrently with formation or thereafter, or both.

In one embodiment of our invention a displacer, a linker, a displacer-linker duplex and an improved method of attaching a deoxynucleotide displacer sequence to the end of a strand of a target deoxynucleotide duplex utilizing branch migration are utilized to prepare branch migrated complexes. This procedure requires the use of oligo- or polydeoxynucleotide displacer-linker duplexes consisting of two strands; a displacer strand and a linker strand.

The displacer strand of the displacer-linker duplex contains a sequence of nucleotides at least partially complementary to a linker strand. The displacer strand is capable of hybridizing to the linker strand and has an overhang at its 3′, 5′ or both ends. The overhang at one end of the displacer strand will comprise a deoxynucleotide sequence at least partially complementary to one strand of a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex.

The presence of an incorrect (non-complementary) nucleotide in the portion of the displacer strand at least partially complementary to the duplex limits branch migration beyond the point of the mismatch. Thus, the initial portion of the overhang of the displacer strand must be complementary to the recipient strand and this complementarity to the recipient must extend over a sufficient number of nucleotide bases to allow formation of at least a transient branch migrated complex with the recipient duplex required for the formation. In the transient branch migrated structure the stability of the structure increases as the number of bases increases. There is no minimum number of bases required for the initiation and formation of the branch migrated structure. It is desirable to have at least the first three (3) bases complementary, preferably at least the first five (5) bases complementary to the recipient.

The opposite end of the displacer strand may be blunt with relation to the linker strand after hybridization to it or either the displacer strand or the linker strand may have an overhang. In one embodiment, one of the linker or displacer strands will have an overhang complementary to an overhang resulting from cleavage by a restriction endonuclease.

The linker strand may be of any size provided only that it is of sufficient size to hybridize to the displacer. It is desirable that the linker be in the range of 10-20 bases in length. In a preferred embodiment of our invention, one end of the linker is covalently linked to one strand of the recipient after branch migration occurs.

The displacer strand may be hybridized to the linker strand prior to or after reaction of the displacer with the recipient.

As stated above, prior formation of a stable hybrid between our displacers and a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex is not required. Any oligo- or polydeoxynucleotide displacer-linker duplex which is capable of initiating branch migration at the end of a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex can be used in our process. Once branch migration has been initiated, our techniques of stabilization concurrent with or subsequent to formation of the branch migrated structure will maintain the complex in its branched form.

Our displacer-linker duplexes are capable of instituting branch migration at any type of end of a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex, such as blunt ends or at ends formed by mechanical shearing. In preferred embodiments, our novel duplexes hybridize to and initiate branch migration at a restriction endonuclease cleavage site, most effectively adjacent to a 3′ or 5′ single stranded extension on a recipient polydeoxynucleotide duplex.

We have discovered that modifying the nucleotides in the sequence of the displacer which is at last partially complementary to the target increases the stability of the branch migrated complex. Those modifications which increase the association constant with the complementary deoxynucleotide by at least about 20 percent provide useful results. We prefer those modifications which increase the association constant by at least about 70 percent.

To stabilize the complex concurrent with formation, one or more, preferably at least about 10 percent of the nucleotides in the sequence of the displacer which is at least partially complementary to the target, are modified.

Specific modifications which we have found to work well in our invention include those selected from 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotides, 5-methyldeoxycytidine, diaminopurine deoxynucleotide, ribonucleotides, and 2′-alkylated ribonucleotides. 5-bromodeoxyuridine or 5-methyldeoxycytidine provide the best results.

Alternatively, the complex may be stabilized after branch migration has occurred. In this embodiment, the linker of the branch migrated complex is covalently attached to one strand of the reagent duplex. Preferably the branch migration complex is incubated with a ligase. The covalently linked linker strand prevents the uncoupling of the branch migrated structure.

In a preferred embodiment of our invention, the branch migrated structure is stabilized by a combination of concurrent and subsequent stabilization techniques, utilizing modified nucleotides and covalent linkage.

Our displacer-linker may be modified by incorporation of a label to allow detection of the hybrid construct. Any modification which permits detection and which does not disrupt the branch migrated complex may be used. Common detection modifications are radioactive labels, fluorescent and chemiluminescent labels, enzymes and targets for detection, including, by way of non-limiting example, biotin moieties, phosphorothioate linkages and antigens. For details on the use of various labels and detection systems see, e.g. Keller, G. H., et al., DNA Probes (1989) and Piper, M. A., et al., Nucleic Acid Probes (1989).

In another embodiment, our single stranded displacers are not hybridized to a linker strand and are capable of initiating triplex formation at a point other than at the end of a recipient polynucleotide. This class of displacers comprises

1. a first sequence which is capable of initiating triple helix formation, and which comprises

a) at least six consecutive pyrimidine bases or

b) at least seven bases where at least six of the bases are pyrimidine bases and the seventh base is guanine, and

2. a second sequence proximate to such first sequence which is

a) complementary to and runs antiparallel to the second strand of the recipient duplex and

which are capable of initiating branch migration proximate to the triple helix.

In one embodiment of our invention, the second sequence is adjacent to the first sequence. In another embodiment the second sequence is separated from the first sequence by intervening moieties. In this embodiment, we prefer separation by 1 to 5 intervening moieties.

Intervening moieties may be selected from any moiety which when interposed between the first and second sequence will not abolish the coordinate function of the two sequences. Examples are intercalating agents and agents that function to diminish the rigidity of the nucleotide sequence, thereby facilitating the hybridization of the complementary sequence to the antiparallel strand. Such moieties include moieties containing sugar phosphate linkages. In a preferred embodiment, the intervening moieties are nucleotides. The nucleotides may be modified nucleotide. Useful modified nucleotides include those having an intercalating agent covalently attached and modified nucleotides incapable of base pairing.

Once the displacer hybridizes with the antiparallel strand it is desirable to increase the stability of the complex. We have found that we are able to increase the stability by modifying at least one of the nucleotides in the displacer strand prior to hybridization. The nucleotide is modified in a manner that increases the stability of the hybrid displacer-recipient duplex. The modification may be in either the first sequence which is capable of initiating formation of the complex, or in the second sequence proximate to such first sequence and which is complementary to and runs antiparallel to the second strand of the recipient duplex.

When the modification is in the first sequence it is preferably selected from the group consisting of modified nucleotides which increase the association constant with the complementary deoxynucleotide by at least about 20 percent, preferably at least about 70 percent. Representative non-limiting examples of such modified nucleotides include 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotides. Most preferably, the modified nucleotide is selected from the group consisting of 5-bromodeoxyuridine and 5-methyldeoxycytidine.

When the modification is in the second sequence it may be selected from the group consisting of 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotides, 5-methyldeoxycytidine, diaminopurine deoxynucleotide, ribonucleotides and a 2′-alkylated ribonucleotides. Preferably the modified nucleotide is a 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotide, especially 5-bromodeoxycytidine, or 5-methyldeoxycytidine.

In addition to the stability increasing modification, we have found it useful to incorporate modified nucleotides in the displacer which permit detection of the displacer-recipient hybrid. Suitable modifications may be selected from the group comprising radioactive labels, fluorescent and chemiluminescent labels, enzymes and targets for detection, including, by way of non-limiting example, biotin moieties, phosphorothioate linkages and antigens.

We have also developed displacers which are exonuclease resistant. These nuclease resistant displacers are suitable for use in cell culture and living organisms. These displacers contain at least one moiety conferring exonuclease resistance attached at or near the terminal nucleotide of the displacer.

The moiety conferring nuclease resistance may be attached to the deoxyribose moiety at the hydroxyl group or the phosphate moiety of a terminal nucleotide.

The moiety conferring nuclease resistance may be selected from the group consisting of intercalating agents, isoureas, carbodiimides and N-hydroxybenzotriazoles, polypeptides and proteins.

A preferred moiety is when the group is attached to the hydroxyl group is a methylthiophosphonate.

A modified or unmodified 2′,3′ dideoxyribose nucleotide attached to the 3′-terminal deoxyribonucleotide through a phosphodiester linkage is useful for conferring resistance at the 3′ end.

The formation of complexes utilizing either our single stranded displacer or our displacer-linker proceeds in accordance with well known principles. [Maniatis, et al., (1982) Molecular Cloning (New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories].

One of the significant uses of our invention is for the site specific addition or deletion of nucleotides in a recipient polydeoxynucleotide sequence. This process occurs when the new strand is introduced to the recipient duplex and displaces the original strand. The cellular machinery involved in generalized recombination and gene conversion will act to transfer sequence information from the displacer strand to the recipient polydeoxynucleotide. For a review of possible mechanisms for this transfer see Stahl, F. W., Genetic Recombination (1979).

The following Examples are set forth to illustrate various aspects of the present invention but are not intended to limit in any way its scope as more particularly set forth in the claims.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Preparation of Labeled Displacer and Linker strands

The sequences of the oligonucleotides used in this example, as well as in the other examples provided, are listed in Table I. These oligonucleotides were synthesized on an Applied Biosystems Model 380B DNA Synthesizer using standard phosphoramidite chemistry, but any other standard method for synthesizing oligonucleotides would work as well for this invention.

The bromodeoxycytidine (BrdC) and the methyldeoxycytidine (MedC)-containing displacer strands used in these examples were prepared by incorporation of 5-bromodeoxycytidine or 5-methyl deoxycytidine phosphoramidite monomers into the oligonucleotides during their synthesis. Purification steps were limited to hydrolysis of base-protecting groups and cleavage from the support with NH₄OH, evaporation, resuspension and ethanol precipitation. All oligodeoxynucleotides were 5′-labeled with ³²P using T4 polynucleotide kinase, subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis on 20% acrylamide-8M urea gels, and visualized by autoradiography. A single oligodeoxynucleotide species of the correct size was routinely detected.

To measure capture at recipient ends with 3′ or 5′ overhangs, linker or displacer oligodeoxynucleotides, respectively, were labeled with ³²P using T4 polynucleotide kinase. The reaction of linkers, but not displacers, with labeled ATP was followed by reaction with excess unlabeled ATP to ensure that all linker strands contained a 5′-phosphate. The oligodeoxynucleotides were purified over spun columns of Sephadex G-50 [Maniatis, et al., (1982) Molecular Cloning (New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories].

Example 2 Stability of BrdC-Containing Hybrids

Melting temperatures for oligodeoxynucleotides were determined as described by Quartin & Wetmur [Biochem. 28:1040-47 (1989)]. Briefly, complementary oligodeoxynucleotides were mixed in equal molar ratios in either 6X SSC, pH 4.0, 6X SSC, pH 7.0, or in 1 M NaCl, 0.05 M borate, 0.2 mM EDTA, pH 10, then placed in a 1 cm quartz cuvette. Solutions were heated in the cuvettes at 0.3° C./minute in a Beckman Model 25 spectrophotometer equipped with a water-jacketed cell holder. The solution temperature was monitored using a thermistor attached to the cell holder. Hyperchromicities for all duplexes tested were 21%. The concentration-dependent melting temperatures (Tm=tm+273.16) were calculated according to the method of Marky and Breslauer [Biopolymers 26: 1601-1620 (1987)]. Tm values reported are reliable to ±1° C.

The tm values for dC-containing oligodeoxynucleotides and for their BrdC and MedC-containing analogs are presented in Table II. The substitution of BrdC or MedC for dC leads to an increase in melting temperature ΔTm=Tm′−Tm, where Tm and Tm′ are the melting temperatures for dC- and BrdC- or MedC-containing oligodeoxynucleotides, respectively.

These results indicate that duplexes containing oligonucleotides with BrdC or MedC are more stable than those with only dC.

The association constant for the modified nucleotide, BrdC or MedC, relative to the association constant for dC, base pairing with complementary dG, may be approximated by

K=e^(−ΔH° ΔTm/{RTn) ² ^(Ns})

where

ΔH°=enthalpy for formation of the oligodeoxynucleotide duplex

R=gas constant

Tn=average of Tm and Tm′ and

Ns=number of modified nucleotides.

Based on this analysis, the association constant 13 increased about 70-90% for BrdC substitution and about 50-70% for MedC substitution.

Example 3 Displacement By BrdC

A gel migration assay was used to monitor the displacement of 5′-³²P-labeled dC-containing oligodeoxynucleotides from unlabeled complementary oligodeoxynucleotides by their BrdC-containing analogs.

Labeled dC-containing oligodeoxynucleotides were annealed to unlabeled dC-containing complementary strands at room temperature in 1 M NaCl at concentrations of 1 and 3 μg/ml, respectively, and then brought to 4° C. BrdC-containing analogs of the labeled strands (at concentrations ranging from 3 to 400 μg/ml were incubated with dC-containing duplexes as a function of time at various temperatures. Aliquots taken, at each time point were diluted into electrophoresis loading buffer and stored at −70° C. prior to electrophoresis. Samples were loaded onto a 20% acrylamide gel in 2.5% ficoll 400, and electrophoresis was performed at 4° C. at 400 volts, 5-15 milliamps in 89 mM TrisHCl, 89 mM borate, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8 (TBE). The gels were dried and subjected to autoradiography.

The rates at which oligonucleotides containing BrdC displace those containing dC are summarized in Table III. Reactions initiated at blunt ends proceed faster as the temperature increases due to increased breathing at the blunt ends. Displacement reactions where initiation occurred at four base overhangs were more than two orders of magnitude faster than reactions initiated at blunt ends. The stability of a duplex formed between the displacing strand and the overhang of a performed duplex increased with decreasing temperature. Thus, in the temperature range of 22 to 37° C., the rate of displacement decreases with increasing temperature.

These results demonstrate that oligonucleotides containing BrdC displace the dC analogs in a time- and temperature-dependent reaction, even at blunt-ended recipients.

The effect of including a linker strand in displacement reactions was investigated at both 3′ and 5′ 4-base overhangs with G+C content of 0-100%.

These results demonstrate that displacement rates using displacer-linker duplexes are at least 8-fold faster than displacement rates using only displacer oligodeoxynucleotides. Based on these results we conclude that the methods described in Examples 7-8 are not restricted by the rate of association of displacer-linker duplexes and recipient duplexes.

Example 4 Hybridization of the Displacer to Target DNA

The BrdC- or MedC-containing displacer strand is hybridized to the complementary strand of a double-stranded target DNA in the absence of a linker. Linkers complementary to a portion of the target DNA are added subsequent to this hybridization step, if desired.

The target DNA used in Examples 4-9 was plasmid pALA-D, a pUC9 expression vector containing the cDNA sequence of human delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) [Wetmur, et al. (1986), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 83: 7703-7707].

pALA-D was digested with RsaI and PstI to yield seven fragments, four of which contain one Pstl end with a 3′-overhang and one blunt RsaI fragment (FIG. 1A). The standard displacer sequence, P-D-dC, is complementary to the first 24 nucleotides of the 3′-overhanging strand of the PstI end of restriction fragment B. Initiation of displacer hybridization to the recipient target duplex begins with base pairing of the displacer with the four base overhang of the PstI site. The displacer may replace all or part of the homologous portion of the recipient duplex strand by single-stranded DNA branch migration.

The digested pALA-D DNA (20 μg/ml) is mixed with the 34-mer displacer DNA (6 μg/ml) in H-reduced T4 DNA ligase buffer [50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.0, 1 mM ATP, 10 mM MgCl₂, 20 mM Dithiothreitol (DTT), 50 μg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA)], incubated at 55° C. for 10 min., then cooled to room temperature.

FIG. 1C shows the potential for branch migration of the displacer into pALA-D fragments with one Pst I and one blunt (RsaI) end. For fragment B, where there is full complementarity to the displacer, the maximum number of displacer-recipient base pairs (m) is 24. The maximum number of branch migration steps is (m-4) because four base pairs are formed between the displacer and the 3′ PstI overhang. Fragment D and the smallest (71 base pair) PstI-RsaI fragments contain no complementarity beyond the PstI site. Thus, m=5, including the four base overhang and one branch migration step. Fragment A contains four additional nucleotides adjacent to the PstI site which are complementary to the displacer. Thus, m=9, including the four overhang and five branch migration steps. Unlike fragment B, where branch migration may go to completion, all branch migration structures with fragments A and D contain two single-stranded branches.

Example 5 Hybridization of the Displacer to Target DNA in the Presence of the Linker

In a second embodiment of this invention, branch migration-mediated capture of linker oligodeoxynucleotides was performed according to the scheme in FIG. 1 B. In this embodiment, the recipient target duplex, the displacer oligodeoxynucleotides, and the linker deoxyoligonucleotides are all present during the hybridization reaction. The linker sequence, 5′-³²P-labeled P-L-dC, forms a duplex with the 5′ portion of the displacer sequence which lacks homology to the recipient duplex. The displacer-linker duplex formed displaces the homologous target strand by base pairing to the recipient target strand.

pALA-D was digested with PstI and RsaI. Digested plasmid (20 μg/ml) was mixed with a 34-mer displacer oligodeoxynucleotide (6 μg/ml) and a 5′-³²P-labeled 14-mer linker oligodeoxynucleotide (2 μg/ml) in a pH-reduced T4 DNA ligase buffer [50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.0, 1 mM ATP, 10 mM MgCl₂, 20 mM Dithiothreitol (DTT), 50 μg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA)], incubated at 55° C. for 10 min., then cooled to room temperature.

Example 6 Formation of the Displacer-Linker Duplex

In another embodiment of this invention, the initial step of the displacement reaction involves the formation of a displacer-linker duplex and the subsequent addition of this displacer-linker duplex to a target duplex.

Formation of the displacer-linker duplex may be accomplished in the following way. A 34-mer displacer oligodeoxynucleotide (6 μg/ml) is mixed with 5′-³²P-labeled 14-mer linker oligodeoxynucleotide (2 μg/ml) in a pH-reduced T4 DNA ligase buffer [50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.0, 1 mM ATP, 10 mM MgCl₂, 20 mM Dithiothreitol (DTT), 50 μg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA)], incubated at 55° C. for 10 min., then cooled to room temperature.

Example 7 Hybridization of the Displacer-Linker Duplex to the Target DNA

pALA-D is digested with Pstl and RsaI to yield 7 restriction fragments. The digested pALA-D DNA (40 μg/ml) in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.0, 1 mM ATP, 10 mM MgCl₂, 20 mM DTT, 50 μg/ml BSA is mixed with an equal volume of the displacer-linker duplex prepared in Example 6. This mixture is incubated at 55° C. for 10 min., then cooled to room temperature.

Example 8 Ligation of the Linker Oligodeoxynucleotide to the Target Strand

The efficiency and the specificity of the branch mediated linker ligation reaction is demonstrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The time requirements for the ligation of the pALA-D PstI-RsaI fragments in the presence of the displacer P-D-BrdC (6 μg/ml) and the linker P-L-dC (2 μg/ml) were established using T4 DNA ligase (5 U/ml ligase) and incubation times ranging from 1-128 min. The results are illustrated in FIG. 3, lanes 2-9. Ligation results in a small, time dependent decrease in the mobility of fragment B. The ligation of the linker to the branch migrated structure is 50% completed in 32 min. and 100% completed within approximately 1 hr. A similar experiment carried out using 25 U/ml ligase proceeded 50% to completion in 8 min. Thus, the reaction rate for this ligation reaction was linearly dependent on ligase concentration and time. These results show that branch mediated ligation of a linker oligonucleotide is an efficient reaction that occurs fairly rapidly.

FIG. 3 is an autoradiogram of the gel shown in FIG. 2 and illustrates the detection of ligation of 5′-³²P-labeled linkers to the recipient fragments. Under conditions where the reaction with fragment B (m=24) is carried to completion, fragment A (m=9) is barely visible and fragment D (m=5) is undetectable. The majority of the labeled linkers are associated with fragment B. These results demonstrate the specificity of branch mediated linker capture.

Example 9 Specificity of the Branch Migration Reaction

The requirement of BrdC- or MedC-containing displacer strands for specific and efficient branch migration-mediated linker capture Is illustrated in the following experiment. FIG. 4A shows an autoradiogram analogous to that presented in FIG. 3, where the displacer strand is P-D-dC instead of P-D-BrdC Under conditions where the reaction with fragment B is carried 50% to completion, both fragment A and Fragment D were easily detected. Table IV contains relative autoradiographic intensities for fragments A, B and D, using P-D-BrdC, P-D-MedC and P-D-dC as displacer molecules. The intensity of fragment D was assigned the value of 1. Since the intensities for fragments A and B were determined using a 2-fold time course assay, they are reliable to +/−50%. The data in Table IV demonstrate that the use of BrdC or MedC in the displacer is important for obtaining highly specific branch migration-mediated capture.

Displacer P-D-BrdC-B(10) was synthesized with one incorrect nucleotide such that only 9 base pairs could be formed between the displacer and the complementary recipient strand prior to the mismatch. FIG. 4B is an autoradiogram of a branch migration-mediated capture reaction carried out under conditions leading to trace levels of capture. The intensity ratios are given in Table V. The capture by fragment B (m=24 with mismatch at 10) was exactly the same as that of fragment A (m=9). Thus, a single mismatch at position 10 blocked subsequent branch migration, indicating that the branch migration reaction is extremely specific.

FIG. 4C shows an autoradiogram analogous to that in FIG. 3, where the displacer was P-D-BrdC-B(24). The final nucleotide of P-D-BrdC-B(24) differed from that of P-D-BrdC. The results were similar to those in FIG. 3. Thus, the formation of the final singly-branched structure (FIG. 1B, lower right) is unnecessary to achieve the high specificity observed for capture reactions of BrdC-containing oligodeoxynucleotides.

Experimental and theoretical intensity ratios are compared in Tables IV and V. The theoretical intensity ratios were calculated using:

r_(l)/r_(j)=(q_(l)−1)·q_(j)/(q_(j)−1)·q_(l)  (1)

The partition functions, q_(l) and q_(j), are close to 1 if the recipient ends are not saturated with displacer-linker duplexes. Then:

r₁/r₂(m=5)=(1+π_(k=5) ^(m)B_(k)+Ω Σ_(i=5) ^(m−1) π_(k=5) ^(i)B_(k))/(1+Ω)  (2)

r₂(all m)/r₂(m=5)=(1+Ω Σ_(i=5) ^(m) π_(k=5) ^(i)B_(k))/(1+Ω)  (3)

Equation (2) was used for complete branch migration (Fragment B with displacer P-D-BrdC, P-D, MedC or P-D-dC). Equation (3) applied to all branch migration terminated by a mismatch at position M+1. For these calculations, Ω>2, B_(k)=1.7−1.9 for BrdC and B_(k)=1 for dC.

B_(k) is the relative association constant for base pair k. B_(k) is usually 1. For BrdC, B_(k)=1.7−1.9 as determined in Example 2. Similarly for MedC, B_(k)=1.5−1.7. The excellent qualitative agreement between theory and experiment suggests that the theory may be used for the design of displacer molecules.

Example 10 Linker Capture at 5′ Ends

For capture at a 5′ overhang, the directions of the displacer and linker strands were reversed, with the linker forming a duplex with the 3′ portion of the displacer sequence which lacks homology to the recipient duplex.

Plasmid pALA-D-G3 is a pUC19 clone containing a 3.2 kb genomic fragment of human ALA-D. Oligodeoxynucleotides E-D-BrdC and X-D-BrdC were synthesized as displacers for branch migration at the unique EcoRI and XmaI, respectively. The same linker, E-L-dC (X-L-dC) was employed for both displacers.

pALA-D-G3 was digested with either EcoRI or XmaI and a second restriction endonuclease to produce convenient sizes of recipient fragments. This product was mixed with PstI plus RsaI digested pALA-D (Example 4) and capture reactions were carried out with equimolar P-L-dC and E-L-dC and 400 nM P-D-BrdC and either E-D-BrdC or X-D-BrdC.

The linker capture reactions were performed as described in Example 8, using 25 U/mL T4 DNA ligase, and analyzed using the gel-shift analysis illustrated in FIG. 2. The half-time for linker capture was 5′ at EcoRI (0% G+C 5′ overhang) and 20′ at XmaI (100% G+C 5′ overhang) when the half-time for linker capture in the same reaction 5′ for PstI (50% G+C 3′ overhang). Thus, the linker capture method may be applied to either 5′ or 3′ overhangs and overhangs of all possible G+C percent.

pALA-D was cut with SmaI, which produces blunt ends, and a second enzyme, and a capture reaction was carried out using X-D-BrdC and Sm-L-dC. Linker capture was observed, although the rate was more than two orders of magnitude slower than linker capture at recipient ends with 3′ or 5′ overhangs.

Example 11 Selective Cloning of Branch Migration Structures

The product of a branch migration-mediated capture reaction similar to those described in the previous examples was ligated into a vector and used to transform E. coli using standard cloning techniques, such as those described by Maniatis, et al. (1982).

The plasmid, pALA-D, was digested with PstI leading to 2771 and 1037 nt fragments. The 2771 pUC9-containing fragment was inactivated as a cloning vector by digestion with SmaI, which leads to two blunt-ended fragments. Each end of the 1037 nt fragment terminated in a Pst 1 site, one of which was the same as the Pst 1 site in fragment B. The branch migration-mediated capture reaction was carried out as described in Examples 7 and 8 using P-D-BrdC and P-L-dC. The products were ligated into pUC19 digested with SphI and PstI, both of which cut in the polylinker region of the vector. The SphI end contained a 3′-overhang complementary to the overhang created by the capture of the displacer-linker duplex.

Four independent plasmid clones were digested by various restriction endonucleases and shown to have the patterns expected for linker incorporation following electrophoretic analysis of the resulting restriction digestion products. One of these clones was selected for further analysis using standard double-stranded DNA sequencing techniques. The autoradiogram of the sequencing gel depicted in FIG. 5 confirms the identity of the cloned insert as being the product resulting from branch migration-mediated capture and linker ligation. These results suggest that E. coli contain polymerases and nucleases capable of handling both BrdC substitutions and branched structures.

Thus, the branch migration product obtained according to the methods of this invention can be cloned directly using standard cloning techniques. Neither the presence of BrdC, nor the presence of a branched structure interfered with the cloning process.

Example 12 Branch Migration Mediated Labeling and Partial Digest Mapping

The plasmid pMS19 was constructed by inserting PMS-ES/PMS-SE and PMS-NH/PMS-HN into the EcoRI and HindIII sites, respectively, of pUC19 in the order indicated in Table I. The insertions destroyed the EcoRI and HindIII sites adjacent to the plasmid and inserted adjacent BgIII (AGATCT) sites at each end of the expanded linker region. The new polylinker contains an SfiI site, a branch migration target sequence, the entire polylinker of pUC19, a different branch migration target sequence, and a NotI site.

Using the BgIII sites, this entire region expanded polylinker has been cloned into unique BamHI sites in other vectors including a cosmid vector. The reading frame was maintained so that pMS19 produces blue colonies when grown with IPTG and X-gel. A 3.6 kb EcoRI-HindIll genomic fragment of human ALA-D, the sequence of which had previously been determined, was cloned into the polylinker of pMS19 to produce the plasmid pMS19-G4.

pMS19-G4 was digested with NotI and SfiI. The product was end-labeled by branch migration mediated capture of ³² p-labeled linker (SfiI) or displacer (NotIl) using S-D-BrdC and S-L-dC to label the SfiI site or N-D-BrdC and N-L-dC to label the NotI site. This product was digested for various times with Sau3A1 and the products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. An autoradiogram of mapping at the SfiI end of the cloned fragment is depicted in FIG. 6. The resultant Sau3A1 map agreed with the known DNA sequence.

Because the melting temperature of the linker-displacer duplex is not critical for the branch migration process, labeling is not limited to radioactive labels, but may be extended to include a wide variety of labels permitting either detection or affinity purification of a labeled fragment. Thus, specific branch migration mediated labeling of restriction fragments may be applied to a wide variety of mapping and isolation techniques.

Example 13 Formation of Triple Helices

The target DNA used in Examples 13-14 was plasmid pMS19, described in Example 12.

Superhelical pMS19 DNA was mixed with an equal quantity of pMS19 which had been linearized by cleavage with EcoRI. Aliquots of this DNA mixture (20 μg/ml) were mixed with either ³²P-labeled BT-D-MedC-1 (1 μg/ml) or ³²P-labeled BO-D-MedC-1 (1 μg/ml) oligodeoxynucleotide in 100 mM sodium citrate, pH 4.8, at room temperature and allowed to cool to 4° C. BT-D-MedC-1 and BO-D-MedC-1 both contained sequences capable of forming a branch-migrated structure, whereas only BT-D-MedC-1 contained the polypyrimidine sequence capable of participating in triple helix formation.

The products of the incubation were separated by electrophoresis at 4° C. in a 1.2% agarose gel in 100 mM sodium citrate, pH 4.8. The gel was dried for autoradiography. Both the superhelical and the linear forms of pMS19 stably bound ³²P-labeled BT-D-MedC-1. Neither the superhelical nor the linear form stably bound ³²P-labeled BO-D-MedC-1.

Thus, the ability to form a branch-migration product, even at a low pH where branch migration is most favored, was not sufficient for forming a stable complex with linear or even with superhelical DNA. On the other hand, a stable triple-helical product was formed with both linear and superhelical DNA when the polypyrimidine sequence was present.

Example 14 Coupling of Branch Migration with Triple Helix Formation

The recipient plasmid was pMS19 cut with NciI and SalI. SalI is an enzyme producing a 5′ overhang. Displacer molecules, were either ³²P-labeled BO-D-MedC-1 or ³²P-labeled BT-D-MedC-1. The linker molecule was BT-L-dC-1. Displacer-linker duplexes were formed as described in Example 6, hybridized as described in Example 7 and ligated as described in Example 8 except that the concentration of displacer-linker duplex was 0.2 μM, the solvent was 25 mM tris-acetate, pH 6.8, 10 mM NaCl, 1 mM spermine, 1 mM DTT, 10 mM MgCl₂, 1 mM ATP.

TABLE I Oligodeoxynucleotides A. Thermodynamics and Kinetics 14-dC-S ATG CAG CTA AGT CA 14-dC-A TGA CTT AGC TGC AT 14-BrdC-S ATG CAG CTA AGT CA 14-BrdC-A TGA CTT AGC TGC AT 14-MedC-S ATG CAG CTA AGT CA 14-MedC-A TGA CTT AGC TGC AT 12-dC-S CAT GCA GCC CCA 12-dC-A TGG GGC TGC ATG 12-BrdC-S CAT GCA GCC CCA 12-MedC-S CAT GCA GCC CCA 16-dC-A TGG GGC TGC ATG GCG T 16-BrdC-S ACG CCA TGC AGC CCC A Nomenclature: Oligodeoxynucleotide length - (dC, MedC, BrdC) - (S = sense; A = antisense). C = 5′-Bromodeoxycytidine, C = 5′-Methyldeoxycytidine. B. Linkers, Displacers and Targets PstI          GAT GAT GAT GTG CAG CCA ATG CCC CAG GAG CCC T     P-D-MedC          GAT GAT GAT GTG CAG CCA AAG CCC CAG GAG CCC T P-D-BrdC-E(10)          GAT GAT GAT GTG CAG CCA ATG CCC CAG GAG CCC A P-D-BrdC-E(24)          GAT GAT GAT GTG CAG CCA ATG CCC CAG GAG CCC T     P-D-BrdC    G TAC CTA CTA CTA C     P-L-dC                           *G CCA ATG CCC CAG GAG CCC T     P-T-D                       AC GTC GGT TAC GGG GTC CTC GGG A     P-T-L EcoRI     CCT CGA AGG AGC CTT CCA CAG CCG AAT TGT AGT AGT AGT AAG CT     E-D-BrdC                                          CA TCA TCA TCA T     E-L-dC    *CCT CGA AGG AGC CTT CCA CAG CCG     E-T-D     GGA GCT TCC TCG GAA GGT GTC GGC TTA A     E-T-L XmaI (SmaI)     TCT CGG CTC ACT GCA ACG TCC GCC TCC CGG GTA GTA GTA GTA     X-D-BrdC                                             CAT CAT CAT CAT     X-L-dC                                          CC CAT CAT CAT CAT    Sm-L-dC    *TCT CGG CTC ACT GCA ACG TCC GCC TC     X-T-D     AGA GCC GAG TGA CGT TGC AGG CGG AGG GCC     X-T-L SfiI     GTA GTA GTA GTA CCC CGG CCA CAC ACA CAC ACA CAC GA     S-D-BrdC     CAT CAT CAT CAT     S-L-dC NotI     CTC TCT CTC TCT CTC TCT GCG GCC GTA GTA GTA GTA     N-D-BrdC                                     CAT CAT CAT CAT     N-L-dC Nomenclature: Oligodeoxynucleotides are named x-y-z where: x = restriction site (first letter only) y = function (displacer, linker or target) z = composition (BrdC, MedC, dC) or polarity (displacer or linker side) E(N) = error at position N (a mismatch) if present C. Plasmid pMS19 construction EcoRI AAT TGA GAT CTG GCC ACC CCG GGG ACA CAC ACA CAC ACG PMS-ES      CT CTA GAC CGG TGG GGC CGG TGT GTG TGT GTG TGC TTA A PMS-SE HindIII AGC TTG CTC TCT CTC TCT CTC TCT GCG GCC GCT TTT AGA TCT C PMS-NH      AC GAG AGA GAG AGA GAG AGA CGC CGG CGA AAA TCT AGA G TCG A PMS-HN Nomenclature: Oligodeoxynucleotides are named x-y where: x = function (PMS) y = orientation in product (e.g. ES ia EcoRI to SfiI) D. Triplex-formation (at SalI in pMSl9) TCTCTCTCTCTCTCTCTC C AAGCTT GCATGC CTGCAG GTCGAC TCAATGATTCCC BT-D-MedC(1)-1                                                G AGTTACTAAGGG    BT-L-dC-1                    C AAGCTT GCATGC CTGCAG GTCGAC TCAATGATTCCC BO-D-MedC(1)-1                                                G AGTTACTAAGGG    BT-L-dC-1 Nomenclature: Oligodeoxynucleotides are named x-y-z where x = BT if both branch migration and triplex formation are possible, x = BO if only branch migration is possible; y = composition (dC, MedC or BrdC) in the branch migration region (1) and/or triplex forming region (2); z = laboratory index.

TABLE II Bromodeoxycytidine and Methyldeoxycytidine Thermodynamics Oligodeoxynucleotides t_(m) In 1 M Na⁺, C = 6 μM pH 4 pH 7 pH 10 14-dC-A + 14-dC-S 57° 14-dC-A + 14-BrdC-S 63° 14-dC-S + 14-BrdC-A  62.5° 14-BrdC-A + 14-BrdC-S 65° 12-dC-A + 12-dC-S 60°  53.5° 50° 12-dC-A + 12-BrdC-S 70°  69.5° 54° pH 4.7 pH 7 pH 9.6 14-dC-A + 14-dC-S 57° 14-dC-A + 14-MedC-S 60° 14-dC-S + 14-MedC-A  59.5° 14-MedC-A + 14-MedC-S  64.5° 12-dC-A + 12-dC-S 50° 60°  47.5° 12-dC-A + 12-MedC-S 55° 67°  50.5°

TABLE III Temperature Dependence of Displacement Rates with BrdC-Containing Displacers A. Blunt ends Half-time (min) for displacement Temp with 12-BrdC-S at: Oligodeoxynucleotides (° C.) 101 μM 20 μM 4 μM 12-dC-S* (C = 0.25 μM) + 37 2 4-8 16-32 12-dC-A (C = 0.75 μM) 32 4-8  8-16 32 27 4-8 32-64 128-256 B. Overhangs Half-time (min) for displacement with 16-BrdC-S at: Oligodeoxynucleotides (° C.) 3 μM 0.57 μM 12-dC-S* (C = 0.25 μM) + 37 <1 4-8 16-dC-A (C = 0.57 μM) 32 <1 16-32 27 <1 2-4 22 <1 <1 C. Effect of Linkers Half time for displacement (minutes) Site Overhang G + C % No linker Linker EcoRl 5′  0 60   6 Pstl 3′  50  8 <1 Xmal 5′ 100 8-16 <1 *5′-³²P-labelled CONDITIONS: Ligase buffer (pH = 7); 37° C.; 10 μL per reaction. Target: Kinased strand 10 ng, Unlabeled strand 30 ng. Displacer: 150 ng; Linker (if present): large molar excess. Displacer concentration = 1 μM.

TABLE IV Linker Capture Displacer 34-BrdC-D 34-MedC-D 34-dC-D Experi- Calcu- Experi- Calcu- Experi- Calcu- Fragment mental lated mental lated mental lated A  16  9  10  7  4  4 B 384 344 150 144 16 15 D  1*  1*  1*  1*  1*  1* *by definition

TABLE V Linker Capture with Mismatches Relative yield (Fragment B/Fragment A) Displacer Experimental Calculated P-D-BrdC 24 29 P-D-BrdC-E(10) 1 1 P-D-BrdC-E(24) 24 39

The effective ligase activity was determined by comparing the rate of circularization of EcoRI linearized pMS19 in the solvent above compared with ligase buffer, where 50% of the molecules are circularized in 25 minutes at 100 U/ml. The ligase activity determined was approximately 0.5 U/ml.

FIG. 7 depicts the a fluorogram of the branch migration experiments. After 30 minutes, 50% of the recipient duplexes have captured a linker in the presence of BT-D-MedC-1. The rate of linker capture with BT-D-MedC-1 was greater than thirty times that predicted for the ligase activity and the concentrations of displacer-linker duplex using the method in Example 8.

The gel was dried for autoradiography. The branch migration products visible in the fluorogram in lanes 4-6 were visible in the autoradiogram, demonstrating that the new fluorogram bands represent branch migration-mediated capture products.

After overnight incubation, branch migration products could be seen with both displacers with 50% yield of ligated product with BO-D-MedC-1. Thus, the inclusion of a particular, unmodified, triplex-forming region on displacer BT-D-MedC-1, but not BO-D-MedC-1, stabilized the branch migration intermediates by greater than 30-fold.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the following claims.

39 1 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencesense 1 atgcagctaa gtca 14 2 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequenceantisense 2 tgacttagct gcat 14 3 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencesense, 5′BrdC modified 3 atgcagctaa gtca 14 4 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequenceantisense, 5′BrdC modified 4 tgacttagct gcat 14 5 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencesense, 5′MedC modified 5 atgcagctaa gtca 14 6 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequenceantisense, 5′MedC modified 6 tgacttagct gcat 14 7 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencesense 7 catgcagccc ca 12 8 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequenceantisense 8 tggggctgca tg 12 9 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencesense 5′BrdC modified 9 catgcagccc ca 12 10 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencesense 5′MedC modified 10 catgcagccc ca 12 11 16 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequenceantisense 11 tggggctgca tggcgt 16 12 16 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencesense 12 acgccatgca gcccca 16 13 34 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceMed C modified complement to PALA-D fragment 13 gatgatgatg tgcagccaat gccccaggag ccct 34 14 34 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceBrdC modified complement to PALA-D fragment, mismatch at 10 14 gatgatgatg tgcagccaaa gccccaggag ccct 34 15 34 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceBrd C modified complement to PALA-D fragment, mismatch at 24 15 gatgatgatg tgcagccaat gccccaggag ccca 34 16 34 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceBrd C modified complement to PALA-D fragment 16 gatgatgatg tgcagccaat gccccaggag ccct 34 17 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencecomplement to PALA-D fragment 17 gtacctacta ctac 14 18 20 DNA Human 18 gccaatgccc caggagccct 20 19 24 DNA Human 19 acgtcggtta cggggtcctc ggga 24 20 44 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceBrd C modified complement to PALA-D fragment 20 cctcgaagga gccttccaca gccgaattgt agtagtagta agct 44 21 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencecomplement to PALA-D fragment 21 catcatcatc at 12 22 24 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePALA-D-G3 fragment 22 cctcgaagga gccttccaca gccg 24 23 28 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePALA-D-G3 fragment 23 ggagcttcct cggaaggtgt cggcttaa 28 24 42 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceBrd C modified complement to PALA-D-G3 fragment 24 tctcggctca ctgcaacgtc cgcctcccgg gtagtagtag ta 42 25 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencecomplement to PALA-D-G3 fragment 25 catcatcatc at 12 26 14 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencecomplement to PALA-D-G3 fragment 26 cccatcatca tcat 14 27 26 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePALA-D-G3 fragment 27 tctcggctca ctgcaacgtc cgcctc 26 28 30 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePALA-D-G3 fragment 28 agagccgagt gacgttgcag gcggagggcc 30 29 38 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceBrd C modified complement to pMS19-G4 29 gtagtagtag taccccggcc acacacacac acacacga 38 30 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencecomplement to pMS19-G4 30 catcatcatc at 12 31 36 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceBrdC modified complement to pMS19-G4 31 ctctctctct ctctctctgc ggccgtagta gtagta 36 32 12 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencecomplement to pMS19-G4 32 catcatcatc at 12 33 39 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePMS oligodeoxynucleotide segment 33 aattgagatc tggccacccc ggggacacac acacacacg 39 34 39 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePMS oligodeoxynucleotide segment 34 ctctagaccg gtggggccgg tgtgtgtgtg tgtgcttaa 39 35 43 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePMS oligodeoxynucleotide segment 35 agcttgctct ctctctctct ctctgcggcc gcttttagat ctc 43 36 43 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequencePMS oligodeoxynucleotide segment 36 acgagagaga gagagagaga cgccggcgaa aatctagagt cga 43 37 53 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceMed C modified complement to plasmid pMS19 37 tctctctctc tctctccaag cttgcatgcc tgcaggtcga ctcaatgatt ccc 53 38 13 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial Sequencecomplement to plasmid pMS19 38 gagttactaa ggg 13 39 37 DNA Artificial Sequence Description of Artificial SequenceMedC modified complement to plasmid pMS19 39 caagcttgca tgcctgcagg tcgactcaat gattccc 37 

What is claimed is:
 1. A nucleic acid displacer composition comprising an oligo- or polynucleotide displacer which is capable of binding to a recipient polynucleotide duplex, said displacer comprising: 1) a first sequence which is capable of initiating triple helix formation, and which comprises a) at least six consecutive pyrimidine bases; or b) at least seven bases where at least six of the bases are pyrimidine bases and the seventh base is guanine; and 2) a second sequence proximate to such first sequence which is complementary to and runs antiparallel to the second strand of the recipient polynucleotide duplex and which is capable of initiating branch migration proximate to the triple helix.
 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said second sequence is adjacent to said first sequence.
 3. The composition of claim 1, wherein said second sequence is separated from said first sequence by from 1 to 5 intervening moieties.
 4. The composition of claim 3, wherein said intervening moieties are nucleotides.
 5. The composition of claim 4, wherein at least one of said moieties is a modified nucleotide.
 6. The composition of claim 3, wherein one of said intervening moieties has an intercalating agent covalently attached thereto.
 7. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of said nucleotides complementary to one strand of the recipient polynucleotide duplex is modified to increase the stability of the displacer-recipient complex.
 8. The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one of said nucleotides complementary to one strand of a recipient polynucleotide duplex is modified to increase the melting temperature of the displacer-recipient complex.
 9. The composition of claim 7, wherein said modified nucleotides comprise modified nucleotides which increase the association constant with the complementary nucleotide by at least about 20 percent.
 10. The composition of claim 7, wherein said modification is in the first sequence.
 11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the modified nucleotide is a 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotide.
 12. The composition of claim 10, wherein the modified nucleotide is selected from the group consisting of 5-bromodeoxyuridine and 5-methyldeoxycytidine.
 13. The composition of claim 7, wherein the modification is in the second sequence.
 14. The composition of claim 13, wherein said modification has been carried out on a modified nucleotide is selected from the group consisting of 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotides, 5-methyldeoxycytidine, diaminopurine deoxynucleotide, ribonucleotides and a 2′-alkylated ribonucleotides.
 15. The composition of claim 13, wherein said modified nucleotide comprises a 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotide.
 16. The composition of claim 13, wherein said modified nucleotide comprises 5-bromodeoxyuridine.
 17. The composition of claim 13, wherein said modified nucleotide comprises 5-methyldeoxycytidine.
 18. The composition of claim 1, which further comprises at least one moiety attached to a terminus of the oligo or polynucleotide, said moiety conferring endonuclease resistance to the terminus to which it is attached.
 19. The composition of claim 18, wherein said moiety is attached to a terminal nucleotide.
 20. The composition of claim 19, wherein said moiety is indirectly attached to a terminal nucleotide.
 21. The composition of claim 18, wherein said moiety is attached to the hydroxyl group of a terminal nucleotide.
 22. The composition of claim 18, wherein said moiety is attached to the phosphate moiety of a terminal nucleotide.
 23. The composition of claim 18, where said moiety is selected from the group consisting of intercalating agents, isoureas, carbodiimides and N-hydroxybenzotriazoles.
 24. The composition of claim 21, wherein said moiety comprises a methylthiophosphonate.
 25. The composition of claim 18, wherein said moiety is selected from the group consisting of polypeptides and proteins.
 26. The composition of claim 18, wherein said moiety is a 2′,3′-dideoxyribose nucleotide attached to the 3′-terminal nucleotide through a phosphodiester linkage.
 27. The composition of claim 26, wherein said 2′,3′-dideoxyribose. nucleotide comprises a modified 2′,3′-dideoxyribose nucleotide.
 28. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a modification which permits detection of the displacer-recipient hybrid.
 29. The composition of claim 28, wherein said modification comprises a member selected from the group consisting of non-radioactive labels, radioactive labels, fluorescent labels and enzymes and targets for detection.
 30. The composition of claim 29, wherein said non-radioactive labels are selected from the group consisting of biotin moieties and biotin moieties attached by phosphorothioate linkages.
 31. The modification of claim 1, further comprising a modification which allows capture of the displacer-recipient hybrid by affinity chromatography.
 32. The modification of claim 31 wherein said modification is selected from the group consisting of biotin moieties and phosphorothioate linkages.
 33. An artificially constructed polynucleotide hybrid comprising a naturally occurring recipient polynucleotide duplex hybridized to the nucleic acid displacer composition of any one of claims 2-32.
 34. A process for modifying a recipient polynucleotide duplex comprising contacting under complex forming conditions such recipient polynucleotide duplex with the nucleic acid displacer composition of claim
 2. 35. The process of claim 34, wherein at least one of the nucleotides complementary to one strand of said recipient polynucleotide duplex is modified to increase the stability of the displacer-recipient complex.
 36. The process of claim 34, wherein at least one of the nucleotides complementary to one strand of a recipient polynucleotide duplex is modified to increase the melting temperature of the displacer-recipient complex.
 37. The process of claim 36, wherein said modified nucleotides comprise modified nucleotides which increase the association constant with the complementary nucleotides by at least about 20 percent.
 38. The process of claim 34, wherein said modification is in the first sequence of the displacer.
 39. The process of claim 38, wherein said modification is carried out on a modified nucleotide selected from the group consisting of 5-bromodeoxyuridine and 5-methyldeoxycytidine.
 40. The process of claim 34, wherein said modification is in the second sequence of the displacer.
 41. The process of claim 40, wherein said modification comprises a modified base member selected from the group consisting of 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotides, 5-methyldeoxycytidine, diaminopurine deoxynucleotide, ribonucleotides, and 2′-alkylated ribonucleotides.
 42. The process of claim 40, wherein said modification is carried out on a modified nucleotide comprising 5-halogenated pyrimidine nucleotide.
 43. The process of claim 40, wherein said modification is carried out on a modified nucleotide comprising 5-bromodeoxyuridine.
 44. The process of claim 40, wherein said modification is carried out on a modified nucleotide comprising 5-methyldeoxycytidine.
 45. The process of claim 34, wherein said displacer contains at least one moiety attached to a terminus of the oligo or polynucleotide, said moiety conferring endonuclease resistance to the terminus to which it is attached.
 46. The process of claim 45, wherein said moiety is attached to a terminal nucleotide.
 47. The process of claim 45 wherein said moiety is indirectly attached to a terminal nucleotide.
 48. The process of claim 45, wherein said moiety is attached to the hydroxyl group of a terminal nucleotide.
 49. The process of claim 45, wherein said moiety is attached to the phosphate moiety of a terminal nucleotide.
 50. The process of claim 44, wherein the moiety is selected from the group consisting of intercalating agents, isoureas, carbodiimides and N-hydroxybenzotriazoles.
 51. The process of claim 47, wherein said moiety is a methylthiophosphonate.
 52. The process of claim 45, wherein said moiety is selected from the group consisting of polypeptides and proteins.
 53. The process of claim 45, wherein said moiety comprises a 2′,3′-dideoxyribose nucleotide attached to the 3′-terminal nucleotide through a phosphodiester linkage.
 54. The process of claim 53, wherein said 2′,3′-dideoxyribose nucleotide comprises a modified 2′,3′-dideoxyribose nucleotide.
 55. A process for labeling a displacer-recipient complex comprising contacting a recipient polynucleotide duplex with the displacer recited in claim 47 under complex forming conditions, wherein said displacer contains a modification which will permit detection of the displacer-recipient complex.
 56. The process of claim 55, wherein said modification comprises a member selected from the group consisting of radioactive labels, fluorescent and chemiluminescent labels, enzymes and targets for detection.
 57. The process of claim 55, wherein said modification comprises one or more targets for affinity chromatography.
 58. The process of claim 57, wherein said modification is selected from the group consisting of biotin moieties and phosphorothioate linkages.
 59. In a process for capturing an artificially constructed nucleic acid hybrid by affinity chromatography, the improvement comprising modifying the hybrid by the process of claim
 34. 60. In a process for enriching a recipient polynucleotide duplex in a population of polynucleotide duplexes, the improvement comprising labeling the recipient polynucleotide duplex by the process of claim
 34. 61. In a process for the site-specific addition, deletion or alteration of nucleotides in a recipient polynucleotide duplex, the improvement comprising modifying the duplex by the process of claim
 34. 62. In a process for repairing a mutational lesion comprising replacing a naturally occurring strand of nucleic acid with a modified strand of nucleic acid, the improvement comprising introducing said modified strand of nucleic acid to the naturally occurring duplex by the process of claim 34, and displacing said naturally occurring strand thereby.
 63. A process for site-specific addition, deletion or alteration of nucleotides in a recipient polynucleotide duplex in a cell, said process comprising the steps of: i) providing said nucleic acid displacer composition of claim 1; and ii) introducing said composition into said cell.
 64. A process for repairing a mutational lesion in a cell, said process comprising the steps of: i) providing said nucleic acid displacer composition of claim 1; and ii) introducing said composition into said cell. 